election in territorial history. Perris was one of the founders of the Salt Lake Tribune, originally designed to be the voice of the party; but which has since evolved into the largest newspaper in the state. For two years in its infancy he ran the paper. His was the only name on the masthead during a time when resentment was high against a dissenting opinion against the dominant religion. Then in 1874 he abruptly resigned, sold the paper to a half dozen outsiders, and moved to San Bernardino where he spent the remaining forty years of his life. Southern California Surveyor In the first year he attempted to establish a newspaper in Southern California; but then was offered the job as the San Bernardino County Surveyor. In that capacity he surveyed the largest county (in terms of land area) of the United States, which included much of the Mojave Desert, part of Death Valley, and all the San Bernardino Mountains. He laid out sites for reservoirs and laid the foundations for the water system that now supplies the Inland Empire. Railroads When railroads came to the area he first went to work as Chief Engineer of the California Southern Railroad, a company chartered to build a rail line between San Diego on the coast and Barstow in the desert. When it was taken over in a merger, he advanced to Chief Engineer of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. In 1885 he oversaw the construction of the railroad through the difficult Cajon Pass, between the San Gabriel Mountains and San Bernardino Mountains east to the Mojave Desert. It is a route that is still in use by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad, and the pass by the Interstate 15 highway. Perris held the Chief Engineer position with Santa Fe for 35 years. Perris was married to Marrinetta E. Perris, and they had a son named Walter. The 1910 census lists their residence in San Bernardino, California. Perris died in 1916. (Chard Walkers "Cajon. Rail Passage To The Pacific.") Legacy Two cities in the United States are named in his honor, Perris, California, and Paris, Idaho. Orange Empire Railway Museum - Perris, California Perris Valley Historical and Museum Association - Fred T. Perris archives References 1837 births 1916 deaths American people in rail transportation Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway people English emigrants to the United States History of